The Foundation Year at Manchester Fashion Institute is designed to prepare you for your chosen degree, ensuring that you start Year 1 of your linked Bachelors degree with the confidence, academic knowledge and study skills you will need to be successful.

You will be introduced to the fashion industry through a variety of exciting topics and you will have the opportunity to participate in a number of events and projects. Previous students have attended Vogue’s Big Night Out, Graduate Fashion Week and number of student conferences.

If you choose the Foundation Year route, you will undertake a total of four years of study. You will also have the opportunity to spend a year on placement and/or studying abroad, in which case you will complete a total of five years.

Upon successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will automatically progress onto Year 1 of your chosen degree.

Year of entry

Length

UCAS code(s)

You can work for a year in industry as part of your degree to gain valuable work experience (Sandwich Year)

Tuition Fees

Foundation Year students

UK, EU and Channel Island students: Full-time Foundation Year fee: £9,250 per year for the foundation year. This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation and may increase each academic year in line with inflation or UK government policy for both new and continuing students.

Non-EU international students: Full-time Foundation Year fee: £15,000 per year. When progressing from the pre-degree foundation year to the linked degree. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study)

Additional Information

A degree typically comprises 360 credits, a DipHE 240 credits, a CertHE 120 credits, and an integrated Masters 480 credits. The tuition fee for the placement year for those courses that offer this option is £1,850, subject to inflationary increases based on government policy and providing you progress through the course in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study). The tuition fee for the study year abroad for those courses that offer this option is £1,385, subject to inflationary increases based on government policy and providing you progress through the course in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Additional Costs

Specialist Costs

Compulsory Estimate: £30

Optional Estimate: £600

All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print some of their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop up to £100 each year for books and printing.

Placement Costs

Compulsory Estimate: £40

Optional Estimate: £60

Students will be given the an opportunity to go on a variety of local field trips during their Foundation Year. In addition students will be offered an optional trip to London. Manchester would be seen as an alternative destination for those students unable to visit London.

Professional Costs

Optional Estimate: £60

Students at Level 3 may want to participate with several external organisations, these will be highlighted in lectures seminars. Fees for membership presentations vary accordingly to the organisation.

Other Costs

Location

Department

Features and benefits of the course

Foundation Years are designed to make undergraduate degrees more accessible to those who are under-represented in higher education, for example, those with non-traditional qualifications.

Introducing students to a broad variety of elements linking through to the fashion industry.

Helps you develop academic and numeric skills necessary for the level of study in Year 1 to support the subject-specific knowledge needed.

Placement options

These degrees offer the option of pursuing a sandwich degree and spending a year on a work placement in a relevant organisation.

About the course

International and EU students whose first language is not English and who have an IELTS score of less than 6.0 will study an English language unit. Successful completion of the Foundation Year guarantees automatic progression onto Year 1 of the degree you have chosen to study.

Typical units of study may include

Year 1

All Foundation Year students study the academic skills for higher education unit, which will help you to develop the academic and study skills required for degree-level work.You will also study topics in the fashion business, marketing and advertising. International and EU students whose first language is not English and who have an IELTS score of less than 6.0 will study an English language unit. Successful completion of the Foundation Year guarantees automatic progression onto Year 1 of the degree you have chosen to study.

Core Units

Academic Practice for Fashion

This unit will provide you with the necessary academic knowledge, study and research skills you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. You will learn how to critically analyse and evaluate theory and how to develop an academic argument. You will conduct research using key researching skills, and produce written and visual research, taking into consideration the purpose and audience of the project.

There will also be a focus on developing your employability, through specialist practice, personal development planning, self-evaluation/reflection, target setting, skill acquisition and development.

Fashion in Practice

In this unit, you will be introduced to the specialist subject disciplines, Fashion Design and Technology, Buying and Merchandising and Fashion Promotion, and will complete a project in each of these areas. For Fashion Promotion you will style a range of garments for an online promotional activity. Upon completion of the unit, you will select your specialist area of study.

Studio Project: Fashion Buying and Merchandising

This Studio Project unit forms a conclusion to the Foundation Year and requires you to select a specialist option and to undertake an individual project, which is presented to an external audience at its completion. You will be produce a body of work appropriate to your specialist discipline of Fashion Buying and Merchandising, which will be presented at the end of year Foundation Showcase.

The Business of Fashion

In this unit, you will learn about the journey of fashion products from concept to consumer, taking into account how they are promoted, marketed and culturally and historically contextualised. You will be introduced to how garments are designed, sourced, bought/merchandised, developed, manufactured, promoted, marketed and retailed. You will also study contemporary fashion industry of issues, such as the global economy, sustainability and ethical practices. By gaining a broad overview, you will be in a position to effectively communicate the principle workings of the fashion industry whilst identifying factors, which may affect your future roles in the fashion industry.

Programme Review

Each programme of study that we offer undergoes an annual review to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the latest online learning technology. In addition, we undertake a major review of the programme, normally at 6-yearly intervals, but this can take place at a more frequent interval where required. Applicants should note that the programme currently provided may be subject to change as a result of the review process. We only make changes where we consider it necessary to do so or where we feel that certain changes are in the best interests of students and to enhance the quality of provision. Occasionally, we have to make changes for reasons outside our control. Where there are changes which may materially affect the current programme content and/or structure, offer holders will be informed.

Methods of Assessment

Assessment is normally through a combination of formal examinations taken in the Summer term and coursework completed during the Autumn and Spring terms.

Additional Information About this Course

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Teaching Staff

Your studies are supported by a team of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field. We also work with external professionals, many of whom are Manchester Met alumni, to enhance your learning and appreciation of the wider subject. Details of departmental staff can be found at: http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/fashioninstitute/our-staff/

Typical entry requirements

These typical entry requirements apply to the 2017 academic year of entry and may be subject to change for the 2018 academic year. Please check back for further details.

Unistats Information

Confirmation of Regulator

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is the principal regulator for the University.

Important Notice

This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that our published course information is accurate and up to date. Please note that our programmes are subject to review and development on an ongoing basis. Changes may sometimes be necessary. For example, to comply with the requirements of professional or accrediting bodies or as a result of student feedback or external examiners’ reports. We also need to ensure that our courses are dynamic and current and that the content and structure maintain academic standards and enhance the quality of the student experience.

Please check back to the online prospectus before making an application to us.

The provision of education by the University is subject to terms and conditions of enrollment and contract. The current Terms and Conditions Applicable to the provision of the University’s Educational Services are available online. When a student enrolls with us, their study and registration at the University will be governed by various regulations, policies and procedures. It is important that applicants/students familiarize themselves with our Terms and Conditions and the Key Contract Documents referred to within. Applicants will be provided with access to an up to date version at offer stage. This can be found within the Information for Offer Holders document.